Actor Manny Jacinto has recently opened up about his experience filming Top Gun: Maverick, revealing the disappointment of having his dialogue entirely cut from the final film. In an interview with GQ, Jacinto candidly described the realization of his reduced screen time, saying, “There was this sense of where the film was going [on set], like I can see them focusing the camera more on these [other] guys and not taking so much time on our scenes.”
Despite undergoing rigorous flight training and twice-daily gym sessions in preparation for his role as LT Billy ‘Fritz’ Avalone, Jacinto ultimately appeared in just a few background scenes with no spoken lines.This was a stark contrast to the experiences of co-stars Miles Teller and Glen Powell, whose roles were significantly expanded in the film.
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The actor admitted that the fan outcry over his limited appearance was “flattering,” but “wasn’t shocking to me.” He went on to say, “It kind of fuels you, because at the end of the day, Tom Cruise is writing stories for Tom Cruise. It’s up to us — Asian Americans, people of color — to be that [for ourselves]. We can’t wait for somebody else to do it. If we want bigger stories out there, we have to make them for ourselves.”
Jacinto admitted feeling disappointed about the omission of his lines, but found it was good “fuel” as an Asian actor. He emphasized the importance of taking control of narratives and creating opportunities for diverse representation in Hollywood.
Director Joseph Kosinski addressed the decision to cut Jacinto’s lines and reduce the roles of other actors, stating, “You just don’t have room to fit everything in…When you’re coming down to the final cut and focusing on the story you’re telling, stuff has to fall away for the good of the film.” Kosinski emphasized that the cuts had “nothing to do with their performance or their abilities at all.”
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Despite the disappointment, Jacinto still views his time on the set of Top Gun: Maverick as a valuable experience. He shared, “Fortunately, it still was a great experience — you get to see this huge machine at work, see how Tom Cruise works, and you get to be a small part of this huge franchise.”
Fans of Jacinto can currently see him in a leading role in the Disney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte, where his performance has received widespread acclaim.
